Crimping apparatus



Dec. 15, 1964 1 w. RAINARD ETAL. 3,160,923

CRIMPING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Dec. 24, 1956 Dec.15, 1964 L.. w. RAINARD ETAL. 3,160,923

CRIMPING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 24, 1956`1NVENTOR5 A TTR/VEY L. W. RAINARD ETAL CRIMPING APPARATUS Dec. 15, 1964Original Filed Dec. 24, 1956 45C .lummllllm 5 Sheets-She i I c 56 TINVENTORS 'En/Aer H. SHA Track Dec. 15, 1964 l.. w. RAINARD ETAL3,160,923

CRIMPING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Dec. 24, 1956INVENTORS E0 Vif. @AM/,42o 7A/ART H. .SHA f77/cg Dec. l5, 1964 L. W.RAINARD ETAL CRIMPING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Dec. 24,1956 United States Patent fice 3,160,923 PatentedV Dec. 1 5, 1964 zciaims. (ci. 19-66) This application is a division of coi-pendingapplication Serial No. 630,152 filed December 24, 1956, now U.S. PatentNo. 3,058,167.

This invention relates to an apparatus for crimping fibers, filamenttow, yarn or thread and more particularly to apparatus of the stuttercrimper type wherein the material to be crimped is fed between feedrolls into a conned chamber against the pressure of a mass of crimpedmaterial in said chamber.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a setting chamber whichis formed by a pair of moving conveyor belts positioned to receive themass of crimped material 'from the crimping chamber or from the feedrolls and to hold the mass compacted While it is being subjected tsetting treatment. Heat may be applied through the conveyor belts forheatingthe mass to a setting temperature. The belts may be formed of apervious material such as wire mesh in which case a setting agent suchas steam, or a resin setting agent, or hot air may be passed through thepervious belt or belts into the mass of crimped material held compactedtherebetween. in certain instances a portion of the path of thecompacted material may be cooled or the compacted material may bedischarged from a heated belt to a cooled belt which may be driven at adifferent speed so as to open up the material for cooling.

The invention is applicable to the treatment of textile fibers in theform of slubbing, roving, spun yarn, continuous filament tow or yarn, orthread.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a broken top plan view of a crimping apparatus embodying thepresent invention; j

FlG. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a broken top plan View of an apparatus embodying the presentinvention showing the use of a wire mesh conveyor belt;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating on areduced scale a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a broken top plan view of an apparatus embodying the inventionwherein the axis of the feed rolls is disposed normal to the plane ofthe conveyor belts;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating the use of aseparate conveyor belt for the cooling section;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on the line 9 9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of an apparatus using a belt conveyor forconfining the crimped bers while passing through a treating tank landdrying and setting zones;

FIG. l1 is a section taken on the line 111-11 of FIG. 10; and

PIG. 12 is a detail View illustrating a further type of control device.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the invention is shown in FIGS.l and 2 as comprising a pair of feed rolls 10 and 11 mounted on shaftsi2 and i3 respectively and having intermeshing gears 14 and l5respectively by which they are driven in synchronism. The shaft 13 ofthe roll 11 is shown as mounted on pivoted arms 47 and held in pressureengagement with the roll 10 by a spring 48 the tension of which isadjustable by a nut 49. .The shaft 13 is driven by a belt i8 through aspeed changing pulley 19, and an adjustable spring-pressed clutch 20which is adapted to limit the maximum driving force which can be appliedto the shaft 13. The maximum force can be adjusted by means of anadjusting nut Z1 which varies the tension of a spring 22. The clutch 20may be of the hysteresis type, if desired, in which case the maximumtorque is controlled electrically.

Textile fibers 25 are fed to the bite of the feed rolls 10 and 11through a tension device 26 and a guide 27. The rolls 1li and 11discharge into a tube 30 forming a crimping chamber. The entrance end ofthe tube 30 conforms to the bite of the feed rolls and is adapted toreceive and retain a mass of crimped fibers.

The crimped fibers are discharged from the discharge end of the tube 3Gbetween a pair of conveyor belts 35 and 36.

The conveyor belt 35 passes around rollers 37 andy 38 mounted on theshafts 46 and 46a respectively and the conveyor belt 36 passes aroundrollers 39 and 40 mounted on shafts 42 and 42a respectively. The rollersare `so positioned that the space between the conveyor belts 35 and 36forms a continuation of the passage within the crimping chamber 3) sothat the mass of crimped fibers is held compacted between the conveyorbelts as the mass is advanced thereby to a discharge point. In order toinsure that the compacting force is maintained on the mass of fibersthroughout their passage between the belts 35 and 36 the belts are sodisposed Vthat their spacing de creases from the entrance end of thetreating chamber where the fibers are received from the crimping chamber3i? to the exit end of the treating chamber where the fibers arereleased by the belts.

The shaft 42 carrying the roller 39 is driven by a motor 43 and carriesa variable speed pulley 44 by which the beit 18 is driven. The pulleys19 and 44 may be of any variable speed type such as a Reeves drive topermit adjustment of the speed ratio between the belt roller 39 and thefeed roll 11. The shaft 42 carries a gear 45 meshing with a similar gear45a on the shaft 46 carrying the roller 37 so that the two belts 35 and35 are driven in synchromsm.

The belts 35 and 36 may be heat resistant material such as siliconerubber or Teflon and may be heated by suitable means, indicated asheaters 59 and 51 which are disposed to heat the respective belts onopposite sides of the setting zone. Heat is thus transmitted to thecrimped material as it advances along between the belts 35 and 36. Theheaters 50 and 51 may be disposed along the first portion of the settingchamber so that the fibers are heated for aportion of their travelbetween the belts 35 and 36. During the remainder of theV travel betweenthe belts and prior to discharge the fibers may be cooled to atemperature to hold the crimp permanently therein. The members Si) and51 also serve as guides to hold the belts 35 and 36 in pressure contactwith the fibers as they advance.

v The crimped fibers if compacted of continuous 'ilaments are removedfrom the end of the setting zone by a suitable take-up device, shown asa guide roll 56, through a tensioning gate 55which may be adjusted tomaintain a predetermined tension on the yarn and to remove any slubs orkinks which may be pulled out of the setting zone as the fibers arereleased by the belts 35 and 36. If thev fibers are in the form of aslubbing or roving they may be discharged from the end of the conveyorsinto a suitable receiver or carding device.

It is to be understood of course that the belts 35 and 36 advance at aslow rate with respect to the feed rolls 10 and 11. This rate may beadjusted relative to the rate of the feed rolls to correspond to therate at which the crimped fibers are fed through the crimping chamber 30due to the action of the feed rolls. The relative rate may be adjusted,however, to control therebythe back press ure of the mass of lcrimpedfibers on the fibersbeing fed into the crimping chamber by the feedrolls 10 and 11.

If the relative rate of the belts is increasedfor example, the fibersare removed 'from the end of the crimping chamber at a more `rapid ratewith a consequent reduction in theback pressure exerted on the fiberswhich are being fed into the ,chamber 30 by the feed rolls 10 and 11. Onthe other hand if the relative rate of the belts is decreased the backpressure is correspondingly increased.

If moisture is required for setting, the fibers may be premoistenedVbefore being fed into the crimping chamber. `The heat supplied by theheating devices 50 and 51 may be controlled in a manner toefiect thenecessary setting while the fibers remain in the setting zone betweenthe belts35 and 36.

In the case of thermoplastic fibers which are relaxed by heat it isusually preferable to cool the fibers below the relaxing temperaturewhile they are still held compacted. VThis may be accomplished in theabove described embodiment by providing the unheated portion of theconveyor flight beyond the heating members 50 and 51. The rate of theheating zone to the cooling zone is le designed as to produce thedesired temperature con- In order to wind the crimped yarn on a take-updevice without producing kinks or slugs it is usually prefe-rable topull the yarn fromv the discharge end of the setting zone under tensionby the take-up roll 56 before the mass of crimped yarn has been releasedby the conveyors 35 and 36. v The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 isgenerally similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 and thecorresponding parts have been given the same reference characters.A Inthis embodiment, however, the conveyor belts 35a and 36a are made of apervious material such as wire mesh orparallel wires which may beelectrical resistance type wires so that one or both of the belts may beheated bythe passage of an electric current therethrough. Such heatingcurrent may be applied for example from leads 60 andv brushes 61 and 62whichY engage conducting rings 63 and 64 respectively on the shafts 46and 46a of the rollers 37 and 38. It is to be' understood that theshafts arewelectrically isolated from ground for this purpose and therollers 37 and 38 are made of conducting material toI feed currentthrough the wire belt 35a. A setting agent may be introduced through thepervious belt 35a from a hood 6 5.

If desired, the electrical heating means may be omitted and a settingagent, such as steam, a liquid setting agent or hot air, may beintroduced into the mass of fibers between the belts 35a and 36a fromthe hood 65. The belt 35a may inthat case be made of a non-conductingpervious material such as perforated rubber or the like. The operationof this embodiment of the invention is otherwise similar to that abovedescribed.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the arrangement is generally similar to thatabove described with the exception that the upper belt 35b is madeconsiderably shorter than the lower belt 36h and heatror other settingagent is supplied frorn a hood 68 through the belt 3511 to the mass ofcrimped material in the setting zone. Heat may also be applied from theheating device 69 through the belt 36b. The element 69 also serves as aguide to hold the lower belt 36b in pressure contact with the fibers.

It will be noted that in this embodiment the fibers are lirst fed by theyfeed rolls and 11 into the crimping chamber in the tube 30 from whichthey are discharged onto the lower belt 36b, where they are unconinedfor a short distance in advance of the upper belt 35h. This permits thefibers to open up slightly and to correspondingly increase their bulk.

They are then engaged and confined by the upper belt 35h while beingsubjected to setting conditions. The fibers then advance on the belt 36bbeyond the zone of the belt 35b in an unconined condition for cooling ordrying before they are discharged at the end of the upper flight of thebelt 36h. By releasing the pressure on the fibers in this manner duringthe cooling stage the passage of cooling air through the fibers isfacilitated and the fibers tend to open up and become fuller or fluier.The belt 35b may be made of pervious material to permit passage of thesetting agent therethrough into the mass of crimped fibers.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7 the general arrangement is similarto that above described except that the crimping chamber is formed bypairs of conveyor belts which are disposed in a plane parallel to theend faces of the feed rolls 10 and 11 and extend past the bite of thefeed rolls. The back pressure on the material in the crimping v chamberis controlled by varying the drag on the conveyor belts.

,Referring more in detail to FIGS. 6 and 7 the feed roll 10 is driven bymotor 43 through shaft 42a and bevel gears 70. The feed rolls 1t) and 11are driven in synchronism by intermeshing gears 14 and 15 as in FIG. 1.

The belts 35e and 36e extend over the end faces of the feed rolls 10 and11 so as to lform with the rolls a confined crimping chamber. The belts35e` and 36e pass forwardly around rollers 37a and 39a on shafts 46c and42C which are coupled by meshing gears 45b and 45C, and pass rearwardlyaround rollers 38 and 40. Belts 35e and 36C may be adjusted in positionby adjustable shoes 71 and 72 respectively. Suitable heating members 68aand 69a are disposed on opposite sides of the setting zone as abovedescribed for applying heat to the confined mass of fibers as theyadvance between the belts.

The belts 35e and 36C are free to be advanced by the pressure exerted bythe material being fed between the feed rolls 10 and 11 into thecrimping chamber formed in the space enclosed by the bite of the feedrolls and by the belts adjacent thereto. In order to control the backpressure exerted on this material an adjustable friction drag 73 isassociated With the shaft 42C. This drag is shown as comprising afriction disk 74 keyed to the shaft 42e anda fixed disk 75 held infriction contact with the disk 74 by a spring 76, the tension of whichcan be adjusted by a nut 77. Adjustment of the drag 73 controls thecrimp characteristics.

The belts 35e and 36e are driven in unison -by gears 45b and 450. Thesegears may beomitted if desired and a similar friction drag applied tothe belt 36e to control independently the movement of-the two belts. Ofcourse the belts may be coupled to be driven by the motor 43 as in FIGS.1 and 2 if the free running feature is not required in any particularinstance.

In order to confine the sides of the mass of crimped material advancingwith the belts 35e and 36e ya third belt 78 is disposed between thebelts35c and 36e in a plane normal thereto to bear against the thirdside (in FIG. 6) of the mass of crimped material in the setting zone.This belt 78 passes around rollers 79 and 80. The roller 79 is disposedas close to the feed roll V11v as possible so as to leave a minimumamount of unconfined area for the crimped material.

The fourth side of the mass is shown as confined by a, fixed plate 81which is disposed between the belts Y 35e and 36C with its forward endclose to the periphery The crimped and set product is withdrawn from thelsetting zone between the belts above described by roll 56 and tensiondrag 55 as in FIG. 1.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9 the position of the feed rolls 10 and11 and the crimping chamber 30 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2and the same reference characters have been applied.

In this embodiment the belts 35d and 36d provide the heating zone and asecond pair of belts 35e and 36e provide the cooling zone. Roller 38 isdriven with roller 37 by chain 83 and sprockets 84 and 85. The belts 35eand 36e are passed over rollers 86 and 87, respectively, which aredriven by intermeshing gears 88 and 89, respectively. The roller 86 isdriven from the roller 38 by means of gears 90 and 91 through an idlergear 92. The gears 88 and 89 may be selected in accordance with theratio desired between the belts 35d and 36d and the belts 35e and 36e. Afixed guide tube 93 is provided between thedischarge end of the belts35d and 36d and the entrance end of the belts 35e and 36e so as to forma continuous confined passage for the crimped fibers during their entiretravel from thefeed rolls to the discharge end of the belts 35e and 36e.

In this embodiment suitable setting agents such as heat, hot air, steamor a setting liquid may be applied to the fibers in the heating zonebetween the belts 35d and 36d from a source indicated as a hood 94, andsuitable cooling means such as cold air may be passed through thecrimped fibers between the belts 35e and 36e from a source indicated asa hood 95. It will be understood that in this embodiment the fibers arefed by the feed rolls into the crimping chamber 30 and are removed fromthe crimping chamber 30 into the setting zone between the belts 35d and36d which discharge the fibers into the guide tube 93. The fibers areremoved from the guide tube 93 into the cooling zone between the belts35e and 36e by which they are conveyed to a discharge point where theyare removed under tension as previously described. It may be desirableto advance the belts 35e and 36e constituting a cooling zone at aslightly higher rate than the belts 35d and 36d so as to open up thefibers slightly in the cooling zone and facilitate the passage of thecooling air therethrough. This also serves to increase the uffiness ofthe fibers which are finally discharged. v

In all of the above embodiments the fibers are maintained compactedbetween the conveyor belts so that the original crimp is maintainedduring the setting and cooling stages. The final crimp can be accuratelycontrolled by varying the original crimping conditions, that is thetemperature and back pressure on the fibers at the bite of the feedrolls.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the yarn 100 to be crimped is fed throughtension device 101 and guide 102 to feed rolls 103 and 104 whichdischarge the yarn into a mass of crimped yarn in a tube 105 forming acrimping chamber as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. The rolls 103and 104 are geared together to be driven in unison, and the roll 103 isdriven by belt 106 and cooperating pulleys from shaft 107 of a motor108. A friction device 109 limits the torque applied to the shaft ofroll 103, as described in connection with the embodiment of FIG. 1.

The tube 105 discharges the crimped fibers between conveyor belts 110and 111 which are adapted to confine the mass of crimped fiberstherebetween and to convey them through treating and setting zones.

The belts 110 and 111 pass around guide rollsI 113 and 114 respectivelyat the discharge end of the tube 105, thence into a treating liquid 115in a treating tank 116 around guide rolls 117 and 118. The liquid 115may be of a type to condition the fibers for setting, such as hot Water,a chemical setting agent, or a resin composition, as set forth inRainard United States application Serial No. 570,145 filed March 7,1956, now

6 Patent No. `2,854,701. A preheater 119 may be disposed in advance ofthe tank 116 to preheat the fibers. The belts and 111 with the fibermass therebetween are passed between squeeze rolls 120 and 121 to removeexcess treating agent and between heating and setting the crimp orcuring and setting the crimp in the fibers, thencev around rolls 122 and123 respectively Where the belts separate to discharge the fibers andreturn to the rolls 113 and 114 respectively.

The rolls 122 and 123 are geared together to be driven -in unison andthe roll 122 is connected to lbe driven from the motor 108 by a belt 124and reducing gears 125. The belt 124 may pass around adjustable drivepulleys 126 and 127 for adjusting the driving ratio between the feedrolls 103 and 104 and the belts 110 and 111.

The crimped filament or yarn is withdrawn from the compacted mass at thedischarge end of the belts 110 and 111, under tension by a Winder 130having a driven roll 131, a traversing guide 132 and a tension device133. The Winder is driven by a motor 134.

For controlling the rate of withdrawal by the winder the roll 123 ismounted on a pivoted arrn 136 which is biased by spring 137 to hold thebelt 111 in pressure engagement with the mass of fibers in the dischargezone between the rolls 122 and 123. The arm 136 is adapted to actuate amicroswitch 138 which is connected to control the driving circuit ofeither the motor 108 or the motor 134.

If `the belts 110 and 111 are constantly driven by the motor 108 theswitch 138 will be connected to stop the Winder motor 134 when the roll123 shifts toward the roll 122 as a result of yarn being withdrawn frombetween the rolls 122 and 123 at too rapid a rate with respect to thefeed of crimped yarn to the discharge zone by the belts 110 and 111, andwill restart the motor 134 when the rolls 122 and 123 again separate asmore material is fed therebetween.

The friction drive 109 limits the amount of yarn fed into the crimpingtube 105 to the amount withdrawn by p the'belts 110 and 111.

Alternately, the winder may operate continuously and the switch 138 maybe connected to control the operation of the feed motor 108 so as tomaintain a predetermined quantity of material at the discharge zonebetween the rolls 122 and 123.

In this embodiment the crimped fibers are held compacted throughouttheir passage through treating and setting zones which may be the lengthnecessary to provide the required time of treatment. At the same timethe crlmping chamber may be maintained relatively short so as to limitthe back pressurein accordance with the crimping requirements of thefibers being treated.

FIG. 12 illustrates a further means to control the feed of the fibers.In this embodiment the rolls 122 and 123 are mounted in fixedrelationship and a plunger 140 rests- The plunger 140 is slidably heldin brackets 141 and is formed with an axial bore 142 through which theyarn is withdrawn as in FIG. l0. The plunger 140 is adapted` to actuatea switch 143 which is connected to control the operation of either thefeed motor or the winder motor so as to maintain the plunger 140 at aconstant level.

When treating low denier continuous filaments it is usually advantageousto impart a low twist to the filaments prior to crimping. This reducesthe breakage and improves the yarn characteristics.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for crimping filaments comprising a tubular member forminga confined crimping zone; a pair of feed rolls disposed to feed saidfilaments into one end of said member to be folded over and crimpedagainst a mass of previously crimped filaments held compacted in saidmember and discharged from the other Aed f said member and a pair ofconveyor belts disposed at said other 'end of said member `and spacedVapart'' receivetherebetv'veen the mass 4of crimpediil'amentsidischarged from'said member and to form a Vcontinuation ofsaid crimping zone, said conveyor belts convergirigtvvard each other toform a progressively tapered vcpmpac'ti'ng zone ,therebetween so as tomaintain the mass of lilaments therebetween under a compacting pressurethroughout their path of traveling, means driving said conveyor belts'and vsaid feed rolls at predetermined adjustable relative' rates forthereby coritrollin'g the back pressure f the, mass of crimped `iilments in said member, ,means heating 4'sa-id 'lamelts throughout atleast 'a portion `of their travel between 'said belts, and, deliverymeans disposed .to withdraw the crimped filaments from the mass offilaments between said belts at a predetermined discharge point.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 whereink said heat means comprisesplates disposed to engage said belts on opposite sides of the mass ofcrimped, filaments thereber2() tween, said plates being adapted to'holdsaid belts 'in pressure engagement with said lilaments as they advance.

SiS-533.216`

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED 'STATES PATENTS- ila'nnan 2`8-72Pfau '---a V194--66 Herde fer a1. 28-72 Lawrence 28f-72 .Hentschel 28-72X ,Billio'nu 28--72 Whitney L 19-6'6 Russo e't a1. 19-66 sk ik 213-72Kasse V1,9-66 R's's' etal 19-66 :List i- :Foa-EIGN PATENTS Italy.

1. APPARATUS FOR CRIMPING FILAMENTS COMPRISING A TUBULAR MEMBER FORMINGA CONFINED CRIMPING ZONE; A PAIR OF FEED ROLLS DISPOSED TO FEED SAIDFILAMENTS INTO ONE END OF SAID MEMBER TO BE FOLDED OVER AND CRIMPEDAGAINST A MASS OF PREVIOUSLY CRIMPED FILAMENTS HELD COMPACTED IN SAIDMEMBER AND DISCHARGED FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID MEMBER AND A PAIR OFCONVEYOR BELTS DISPOSED AT SAID OTHER END OF SAID MEMBER AND SPACEDAPART TO RECEIVE THEREBETWEEN THE MASS OF CRIMPED FILAMENTS DISCHARGEDFROM SAID MEMBER AND TO FORM A CONTINUATION OF SAID CRIMPING ZONE, SAIDCONVEYOR BELTS CONVERGING TOWARD EACH OTHER TO FORM A PROGRESSIVELYTAPERED COMPACTING ZONE THEREBETWEEN SO AS TO MAINTAIN THE MASS OFFILAMENTS THEREBETWEEN UNDER A COMPACTING PRESSURE THROUGHOUT THEIR PATHOF TRAVELING, MEANS DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR BELTS AND SAID FEED ROLLS ATPREDETERMINED ADJUSTABLE RELATIVE RATES FOR THEREBY CONTROLLING THE BACKPRESSURE OF THE MASS OF CRIMPED FILAMENTS IN SAID MEMBER, MEANS HEATINGSAID FILAMENTS THROUGHOUT AT LEAST A PORTION OF THEIR TRAVEL BETWEENSAID BELTS, AND DELIVERY MEANS DISPOSED TO WITHDRAW THE CRIMPEDFILAMENTS FROM THE MASS OF FILAMENTS BETWEEN SAID BELTS AT APREDETERMINED DISCHARGE POINT.